Knitting machines for the production of pile fabrics



March 21, 1967 w. WUNSCH ETAL 3;3@99@@ KNITTING MACHINES FOR THEPRODUCTION OF FILE FABRICS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1964 My Q aZ? |v S R O T N E V m March 1967 W.WUNSCH ETAL KNITTING MACHINES FOR THEPRODUCTION OF FILE FABRICS Filed Nov. 18, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March1967 w.wUNscH ETAL KNITTING MACHINES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FILE FABRICSFiled Nov. 18, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent Ofifice BataanPatented Mar. 21, 1967 3 309,900 KNITTING MACHDJFIS FOR THE PRODUCTIONOF FILE FABRICS Wolfgang Wiinsch, Hartmut Kreisel, and Ger-d Riiger, all

of Karl-Marx-Stadt, Germany, assignors to Veb Nah- WirkmaschinenbauMalimo KarbMarx-Stadt, Karl- Marx-Stadt, Germany Filed Nov. 18, 1964,Ser. No. 412,198 3 Claims. (Ci. 66-85) The present invention relates tonovel pile fabrics and to machines for the production thereof. Moreparticularly, it relates to a machine provided with eye needles, thepile warp threads being guided through the eyes, holders being providedwhich hold the pile loops that are formed into needle loops as they aredrawn into the backing or base fabric.

On the known machines called Tufter only one thread chain can be workedwith the needles, and this is the pile thread chain. The pile fabricmade on this machine, therefore, consists only of the foundation or basefabric and of the warp threads forming the pile cover.

As opposed to this known art, the present invention serves the purposeof using the eye needles for simultaneously introducing a second threadchain which is an expedient that is most advantageous in severalrespects. With this invention, for instance, it is possible to tie theplush loops to the base with the second thread system. This possibilitycan be exploited when the loops are drawn into a fabric base made of afinished material. If, however, the base is made out of filling yarns orthreads which are connected by wales including a plurality of stitches,the second thread system can be used to tie the plush loops and to fillthe function of interlacing the filling threads.

It is known to tie every needle loop, constituting a pile r plush loop,to the base fabric by means of a second thread. In this case, themachine has to be equipped with an additional eye needle for the secondthread, and further provided with a separate hook or latch needle forsaid additional eye needle, so that each pile thread position includes atotal of three needles.

The present invention also afiords the opportunity to form a second pilecover, consisting also of needle loops, on the back side of the fabric,by means of the second thread chain. Heretofore this was not possible aslong as eye needles were used for pulling in the actual pile chainthreads. It is already known to use hook needles for making pile coversonto a base fabric. In this case, a second pile cover can still not beformed from pile loops consisting of needle loops.

There are bobbin embroidery machines which have needles provided withtwo eyes and, therefore, can be used for two warp threads. However,these two threads are used alternately. Especially with these needles itis not possible to draw into the base or backing two loops in oppositedirections.

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel pile fabric and amachine for the production thereof, incorporating novel features whichavoid the drawbacks and inadequacies of hitherto known installations.

It is another object of the invention to provide a pile fabric machineadapted to apply a second warp thread, the loops formed thereby beingdrawn into the base in a direction opposite to the loops of the first orregular warp thread.

According to one of the important features of the present invention,needles are used which have hooks in front of their eyes, a guide barbeing provided for applying second warp threads into these hooks.

According to another feature, the needle hooks may be turned away from,or alternately face, the fabric takeup end of the machine. In the lattercase, the loops formed by the second thread chain are knocked off on theback side of the base fabric in order to make a second pile cover.

Yet another novel feature of the invention contemplates the turning ofthe needles by about 180 about their axes, whereby pile loops andinterconnecting runs of thread may be formed from the second warpthread.

The invention contemplates the making of loops on the reverse side ofthe base fabric which are tied in as independent chain or wale stitches.The same loops may, alternately, form a tricot binding on the reverseside.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be appreciated andmore fully understood with reference to the following detaileddescription, when considered with the accompanying drawings, whereinFIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of the pile threadlooping section of the inventive machine;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a notched and grooved needle, partly brokenaway, as used in the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partly sectional perspective View of a first pile or plushfabric made according to the invention, the second thread system formingchain stitches in simple wales;

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to that of FIG. 4, of another inventive pilefabric, the second thread system forming tricot stitches;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of :a third variant of a double-sidednovel plush fabric according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 1, of a modificationof the inventive machine, for making the double plush fabric accordingto FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a somewhat schematic perspective view incorporating elementsof FIG. 1 and showing the operating elements for the major machine partsof the pile thread looping section.

FIG. 1 shows a machine for making the novel pile fabrics according tothe invention, while FIGS. 2 and 3 show the needle used therein.Although some machine elements have been omitted for the sake ofclarity, the operation will be clear from the following description.

The machine partly shown in FIG. 1 is equipped with reciprocatingneedles 10, to be described in detail hereunder, a stationary knockovercomb 4, retaining pins 6 for preventing movement of the base fabric whenthe needles pass therethrough, loop holders 8 and a guide unit bar 144for a plurality of thread guides 14. The loop holders 8 are movable atright angles with respect to the direction of reciprocation of needles10. The loop holders are also adapted to perform a movement in thedirection of reciprocation of the needles in order to determine thelength of the pile loops.

The pile loop threading section illustrated in FIG. 1 also comprises aclosing wire 12 adjacent to each needle 10. In a conventional manner,there is one thread guide 14 for each needle 10. The needles areattached to a common bar 110, while the loop holders 8 and closing wires12 have respective common actuating bars and 120, to be described laterin detail, together with the guide unit bar 140, with reference to FIG.8.

It is advisable to provide a notch 101 in each needle 10 on the sideWhere the loop holders 8 are active, as shown in FIG. 3. On the otherside of the needles, it is recommended to apply grooves 102 for guidingthe pile-warp threads when near the base fabric, as will be explainedlater. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the free ends of the needles arepointed at 103; the needles are equipped with hooks 104 and eyes 105somewhat behind the hooks. The hooks open opposite the direction of thecloth take-up (arrow X), as shown in FIG. 1.

A foundation or base fabric 30 is schematically shown in section. Thefabric is advanced through the machine in the direction of arrow X byconventional means (not illustrated). The fabric 30 may be a finishedmaterial, made in a preceding operation, e.g. a woven backing. In themachine embodiment of FIG. 1, and the plush fabrics illustrated in FIGS.4 and 5, a plurality of weft-wise filling threads 32 are shown. In analternative plush fabric, loose warp threads 34 may be added to thethreads 32 (See FIG. A pile warp St) is led through the needle eyes 105while a second warp thread 46 is led through guides 14 for being placedinto the needle hooks 104.

The needles are preferably compound needles. The wire 12 closes theneedle hook 104 when the needle is withdrawn through the base fabric 30by means known in the art.

Each pile warp 50 forms needle loops which are drawn from the back ofthe fabric 30 to its front, on effect of the reciprocation of needles10, so as to form plush or pile loops 54 (see right-hand side of FIG.1). The length of these loops 54 is determined by the afore-mentionedparallel movement of the loop holders 8. Each warp thread 40, on theother hand, forms second needle loops 42 and sinker loops 43 on thefront side of the fabric 30. The closing wire 12 closes hook 104 of eachneedle so that comb 4 knocks off each last needle loop 42 over the justformed loop 42 of the second thread 40.

With reference to FIG. 8, it should be noted that needle bar 110 isdriven by a rotating shaft 111 having thereon cranks 112, the latterbeing connected with bolts 114 by way of intermediate members 113. Bolts114 are rigid with bar 110 and are guided for axial movement in themachine frame.

Bar 120 for closing wires 12 is driven by another rotating shaft 121having cranks 122 connected therewith, the latter being connected withbolts 124 by way of intermediate members 123. Again, bolts 124 are rigidwith bar 120 and are axially guided in the frame.

Bar 130, provided for loop holders 8, is driven by way of at least onecam disc 131 by the intermediary of a fixedly supported double-armedlever 132 and an intermediate member 133.

Finally, common bar 140 of thread guides 14 is reciprocated along itslongitudinal axis and is pivoted about studs 154 attached to the ends ofbar 140. The pivoting is accomplished by means of a shaft 141 by way ofintermediate members 143 and cranks 142. The axial movement of bar 140,on the other hand, is accomplished by way of another shaft designated151 having a crank 152 and an intermediate member 153 attached thereto,the latter being connected to one of the studs 154.

The operation of the thread looping section is as follows: While theneedles 10 are in their foremost position, as shown in FIG. 1, the basefabric 30 being retained by the pins of comb 6, the guide unit bar 140feeds them with the second Warp thread 40 by way of the individualguides 14. Owing to the orientation of needle hooks 104, each threadguide feeds its thread only onto a single needle (chain stitch), thesecond warp thread 40 being thus Worked in simple chain wales, as seenin FIGS. 1 and 4.

The needles 10 then retract so that the needle loops forming the plushloops 54 expand, as on a sewing machine. The loop holders 8, actuated bythe elements just described, reach from above into these needle loops.

During the described process, and unlike the pile loops 54, the loops ofthe thread forming the needle loops 42 are drawn from the front to theback of the base fabric 39. The threads of the second group 40 theninterlace the filling threads in case the latter are guided to thelooping section of the machine by a system of two conveyors, as has beendisclosed in US. Patent 3,030,786 (now under reissue proceedings) of H.Mauersberger, entitled Textile Material and Manufacture. The threads 40of the second system have the main function of tieing the plush loops 54to the base fabric 30; this also occurs if the base is a woven material,as will be explained with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. The tieing of theloops 54 is accomplished by way of their shanks 54a gripping the headsof the needle loops 42, caused by the drawing in of the two needle loopsin opposite directions.

FIG. 4 shows the pile fabric made with the machine according to FIG. 1,the second thread system forming chain stitches in simple chain wales,as shown at 42, 43.

As seen in FIG. 5, the second warp thread 40 can also form tricotstitches by feeding this thread alternately to two adjoining needles 10.The result is a fabric as shown wherein transversal thread portions orsinker loops 43 between adjoining wales can serve for tieing loose warpthreads 34 to the base fabric 39.

As mentoned above, the pile thread looping section of the machine may beset up according to FIG. 7 whereing the hooks 104 of the needles it openin the direction of fabric takeup, that is in the direction of arrow(FIG. 1). The arrangement of the co-operating elements is as shown inthe illustration which does not need further explanation. In FIG. 7 someelements, like bars 110, 120, have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

In this embodiment, also the second thread system 40 can be drawn intothe base fabric 39' in the form of pile loops 44. The hooks 104 in thiscase act like the eyes of the needles 10 and the last drawn-in needleloops formed by warp threads 40 fall off the hooks 104 when the needlesare in their rearward or retracted position. The closing wires 12, ofcourse, have to be retracted. This construction of course precludes anytie-in warp chains to lock the pile loops to the base.

This set-up creates a double-sided plush material as illustrated in FIG.6. On the right-hand side of the prewoven fabric 30, the pile cover isformed by the plush loops 54 of the pile warp 50, while on the left-handside, a second pile cover is constituted by the plush loops 43 of thesecond warp thread 40. This double-sided material can be made only whenusing a solid fabric as a base, as illustrated.

The foregoing disclosure relates only to a preferred embodiment of theinvention, which is intended to include all changes and modifications ofthe examples described within the scope of the invention as set forth inthe appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a machine for producing pile fabrics from a foundation and atleast two thread chains, and having therein a plurality of reciprocableneedles positioned for piercing the back side of said foundation and aplurality of thread guides positioned on the front side of saidfoundation, the improvement comprising eye needles having hooks thereinbetween the eye and the point of the needle, means for reciprocatingsaid needles to draw a loop from one thread chain from said back side tosaid front side, means for applying another thread chain into said hooksto draw a loop from said front side to said back side, and means to formpile loops at least from one of said thread chains on reciprocation ofsaid needles.

2. In a machine for producing pile fabrics the improvement according toclaim 1, wherein said hooks face away from the direction in which saidfoundation is advanced, whereby said other thread chain is formed intolongitudinal wales.

3. In a machine for producing pile fabrics, the improvement according toclaim 1, wherein said hooks face in the direction in which saidfoundation is advanced, whereby said other thread chain is formed intopile loops on the side of said foundation opposite to that where saidone thread chain is formed into pile loops.

(References on foiiowing page) 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner3,079,778 3/1963 Kubelka et a1. 6685 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,174,3083/1965 Mauersberger 66-192 2 890 579 6/ M b 66 19 MERVIN STEIN, PrimaryExaminer.

auers erger 3,030,786 4/1962 Mauersberger 6684 5 DONALD PARKER? PAW,

Assistant Examiners.

1. IN A MACHINE FOR PRODUCING PILE FABRICS FROM A FOUNDATION AND ATLEAST TWO THREAD CHAINS, AND HAVING THEREIN A PLURALITY OF RECIPROCABLENEEDLES POSITIONED FOR PIERCING THE BACK SIDE OF SAID FOUNDATION AND APLURALITY OF THREAD GUIDES POSITIONED ON THE FRONT SIDE OF SAIDFOUNDATION, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING EYE NEEDLES HAVING HOOKS THEREINBETWEEN THE EYE AND THE POINT OF THE NEEDLE, MEANS FOR RECIPROCATINGSAID NEEDLES TO DRAW A LOOP FROM ONE THREAD CHAIN FROM SAID BACK SIDE TOSAID FRONT SIDE, MEANS FOR APPLYING ANOTHER THREAD CHAIN INTO SAID HOOKSTO DRAW A LOOP FROM SAID FRONT SIDE TO SAID BACK SIDE, AND MEANS TO FORMPILE LOOPS AT LEAST FROM ONE OF SAID THREAD CHAINS ON RECIPROCATION OFSAID NEEDLES.